History

history HughTraceyRecording 200
History
Mark Holdaway

The Short Story

Hugh Tracey was an English ethnomusicologist who traveled widely in rural Africa in the first half of the 20th century. This man’s life’s work turned out to be the reason that kalimbas are known and loved by so many in the world today.

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A Bamboo 200
History
Mark Holdaway

Early Kalimba History

The kalimba has a rich and varied history in Africa that stretches back as much as 3000 years, but the metal tined kalimba is only about 1300 years old. The modern kalimba player can learn a lot from the strands of traditional African kalimba music.

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mbira 200
History
Mark Holdaway

Hugh Tracey meets the African thumb piano

Young Hugh Tracey is brought to Africa; he falls in love with its traditional music; his life’s work eventuates in the kalimba’s entering western consciousness. He was one of the first Europeans to fall in love with the African kalimba.

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MauriceWhite 200
History
Mark Holdaway

The kalimba meets pop culture

The kalimba might not have caught on had it not been in a Broadway music called Wait a Minim, had bluesman Taj Mahal not played it, and had Maurice White of Earth, Wind, and Fire not wowed a nation with his electrified kalimba playing.

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History
Mark Holdaway

Worldwide competition

These are the Hugh Tracey patent models from the 1960s. With success comes competition and imitation.  Kalimbas are made, not just in Africa, but in America, Germany, France, Pakistan, Slovakia, Japan, China, and everywhere between.

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ModernWonders 200
History
Mark Holdaway

The future of the kalimba

With its ancient roots and its seemingly infinite new age possibilities, the kalimba continues to amaze the world. The future of this simple, traditional African instrument is a bright one with ever more kalimba resources.

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